


Like What You See

by gracie137



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Artist Steve Rogers, Boiled Squirrel Discourse, Bucky Barnes: Gay Disaster, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Dumb Banter, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, M/M, Meet-Cute, Shrunkyclunks, avengers cameos - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 12:25:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15863577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracie137/pseuds/gracie137
Summary: For all the time Bucky’s spent fantasizing about meeting Captain America, he’d never imagined it would be while posing nude in front of a drawing class.





	Like What You See

**Author's Note:**

> Bucky Barnes is the official love of my life, and I had a great time writing this fic so I hope it brings whoever reads it some joy as well!!
> 
> As always forever thankyou to @tdcat for being an amazing beta <3

Bucky’s not nervous about the idea of having to take his clothes off in front of people. It’s not the first time he’s been naked in front of a crowd, and if he’s honest with himself it probably won't be the last. Bucky has a tendency to get himself into stupid situations either because he’s stubborn as a mule (his mom’s words), he’s overestimated his alcohol tolerance, or because he’s in need of a bit of cash.

The reason he’s standing in a fuzzy pink robe about to walk into a life drawing class on his day off is a mix of all three. He’d made and lost a bet with Dum Dum while drunk about what he could do to make a few extra bucks, and he’s not going to back out now.

Bucky thinks he looks pretty good naked if he does say so himself, and if he’s spent a few more hours in the gym this week than normal well, that’s neither here nor there. Darcy had told him no one goes to a life drawing class to ogle a hot guy, but Bucky’s hardly going to have a load of sketches of himself lying about where he looks bad. He’s a reputation to uphold.

He’s probably never going to see any of these people again, but that’s beside the point. The point is Bucky’s always been a vain fucker, and he can’t see that changing any time soon.

He pushes open the door and walks in as the art teacher ends her spiel that Bucky has no interest in because he’s got about as much artistic talent as a flea. He’s more than happy to be the art rather than the artist.

She turns to welcome him, and that’s when Bucky freezes because his eyes are drawn to a man sitting in the back, hunched as small possible, which isn’t that small due to the fact his shoulders are double the width of a normal man’s.

Bucky would know him anywhere. He has spent years studying him, reading about him, and fantasizing about him. In fact, Bucky’s spent more time than he’d like to admit imagining what it would be like to be naked in front of Captain America, he’d just never imagined it happening quite like this.

“Urm,” he says stupidly because everyone is staring at him as he stands there in the offensive robe like an idiot. “My names Bucky.”

He wants the floor to open and swallow him up instantly, because it’s so clear no one cares about his name. All he’s supposed to do is come in and sit there nice and naked so they can practice anatomy. He’s not supposed to stand at the front and introduce himself; no one is going to pipe up with their name and star sign and ask him how his day has been.

Bucky blames Captain America, because Bucky’s finding it hard to think straight when in approximately one minute Captain America is going to see his dick. Bucky feels a bit like he’s disrespecting an American icon by getting his dick out for Cap, even if Cap’s paid to see him do it. And Christ does it sound bad if he puts it that way... He should really try be more respectful, Captain America died for them...  However, Bucky’s spent multiple years fantasizing about screwing Captain America — even prior to the whole de-icing thing because Bucky’d been a randy teenaged boy who hadn’t been willing to let a little thing like Cap’s death get in the way of his wanking material — so he supposes he passed respectful a while back.

He realizes thinking about Captain America in a sexual manner when he’s about to have to stand naked in front of a group of people for a couple of hours is not a good idea. In fact, it’s probably a worse idea than agreeing to model for this class had been.

Bucky’s going to kill Dum Dum.

“Do you want to sit down?” the teacher asks slowly.

Bucky runs a hand through his hair and grins. “Yeah, of course, was just breaking the tension.”

The teacher blinks once, then blinks again before turning around to speak to a little old lady. She probably thinks he’s an idiot.

In fact the whole class is staring at him like he’s an idiot, which is probably justified. He glances over to where Cap’s sat in the corner expecting the stern disapproving face that Bucky had seen so many times in his history textbooks, but instead he finds Cap biting hard on his lip to stop himself smiling.

Bucky gives Cap a small shrug and tries to stop himself from sauntering over and dropping down on the stool, legs open as an invitation. It’s hard to keep himself level headed when he’s managed to make Cap smile, even if admittedly Cap is laughing at Bucky’s idiocy.

“Hi,” Bucky mouths at Cap.

Cap’s eyebrows shoot up, and he glances around at the people beside him before coming to the conclusion Bucky is very much talking to him and not the old men beside him. Cap may have been born in the same decade as the two old men, but he doesn’t look it.

Cap raises two fingers in greeting, a red blush staining his cheeks. If Bucky had thought the pictures in his history book were good then they’ve got nothing on the reality. Captain America’s jawline is sharp enough in itself to be used as a weapon against Nazis.

“You can take the robe off now,” the teacher says, sounding like she thoroughly regrets ever letting him have this job.

“Yes,” Bucky says, fingers hovering on the belt of his robe. He should in fact take his robe off now because that’s what he’s being paid to do… It just feels a bit erotic to do while maintaining eye contact with Captain America. Bucky is about to avert his eyes and turn around when Cap’s smile grows into a full blown shit-eating grin. It feels like a challenge to Bucky, and Bucky’s never been able to walk away from a challenge. He drops the robe, letting it pool on the floor behind him, and then holds Cap’s gaze for as long as he possibly can as he turns around to face the teacher again, leaving Cap staring at his arse. Bucky hopes Cap is staring at his arse anyway, otherwise Gabe’s squat challenge had been for nothing.

The teacher — Alex — as her nametag reminds him, has him do a series of what she calls warm up poses, and Bucky privately thinks of as series of ridiculous poses that are less than comfortable. He doesn’t mind much though, because every few poses he’s back to facing Cap, who always looks happy to see him. Bucky’s not supposed to move his face much, but he can’t help but pull a couple of faces Cap’s way especially when Cap looks so cute trying not to laugh at Bucky’s antics.

Bucky has made the horrible mistake of thinking Mr. Good and Upstanding Picture of Patriotism is all things sugar and sweet, and isn’t expecting it when Cap starts pulling faces right back at him, every time Alex is facing him. Bucky does his best to keep stern-faced because the gig’s only about ten dollars an hour, but he doesn’t want to piss Alex off. He’s an idiot, but he’s not disrespectful.

Also, no one’s going to believe him if he tries to pin the blame on Captain fucking America.

The time drags, but Bucky’s spent more boring afternoons than having Captain America staring at his naked body, so he’s not complaining too much. For the final forty-five minutes, Alex has him sit on the stool — facing Cap’s three o’clock — and instructs everyone to draw him.

Bucky can’t see Cap from this angle, and he’s not supposed to move, so he gets lost in his thoughts and hums along to the ABBA playing in the background. It’s not exactly the vibe he would have picked, but he’s comfortable enough in his masculinity to admit they have some brilliant songs.

After what feels like a few years later, Alex finally wraps the class up, and Bucky’s allowed to put his robe back on. He’s relieved because as much as he enjoyed peacocking for Captain America — and there is no greater compliment than Captain America checking you out — he’d been getting cold, and there was nothing attractive about someone shivering as their penis shrinks.

Bucky hadn’t even been aware Captain America was into guys, but Bucky’s not an idiot. He knows the difference between appreciating something’s aesthetics, and wanting to fuck someone. Captain America, with his teasing smiles and flirtatious eyes, had been the latter.

Maybe Bucky missed Captain America’s coming out statement? He knows what he’s googling as soon as he can, but for now there’s more pressing things on his mind.

Alex is talking to a few of her students, all of whom either haven’t noticed Captain America — Bucky’s unsure if Cap thinks that a Dodgers baseball cap counts as a good disguise — or just don’t care that he’s sitting right there, allowing Bucky the chance to walk over and speak to him.

“Hi,” he says, grinning because he figures the fact Cap’s spent two hours staring at his naked body means they’ve bonded. “I’m Bucky.”

“You said,” Cap smiles wryly, “I’m Steve.”

“I know,” Bucky says before regretting it when Cap—Steve’s smile flickers out. “But that’s not why I’m over here talking to you, I’d do that whether you were you or not, because look at you.” Bucky gestures to Steve’s whole body. “You look like a Greek god.” Cap—Steve’s (Bucky’s unsure how to think of him) eyebrows raise, and Bucky stammers because what if Cap—Steve thinks Bucky’s only interested in his body when actually Bucky thinks he just seems like good fun. “Not that I’m only here for your body, ‘cause I know that’s like a steroid thing, and oh fuck, I didn’t mean it like that, just meant that I’m not just interested in the whole Adonis thing, because you seem fun, and you made me laugh, and…” Bucky trails off and prays for death. His parents have always been churchgoers, but Bucky gave up on the whole thing a long time ago. However, he vows if he makes it through this whole conversation without Captain America calling the government to arrest him for harassment, then Bucky’s going back to church, as it’ll be a goddamn miracle.

Steve’s — Bucky’s going to call him Steve because that’s his name — eyebrows are raised so high at this point that they’re almost in his hairline. Bucky sighs and pulls a face.

“I’m usually smoother than this,” he says.

Steve’s face cracks into a grin, and he laughs. Steve’s laugh is warm, and Bucky wants to bottle the sound and save it for a rainy day. “I hope not,” Steve says.

“Awkward babbling loser your type then?”

Steve shrugs. “When it looks like you, then yeah.”

“Oh,” Bucky says eloquently, trying to tone down the smile on his face so he doesn’t terrify Steve. “Well…”

Bucky shifts his weight from foot to foot, and Steve blushes before saying: “Was this your first time modeling?”

“Was I that bad?” Bucky asks.

“No!” Steve says quickly, blush growing.

Bucky smirks. “Well, can I see what you drew?”

“No,” Steve says, clutching the paper close to his chest.

Bucky pouts. “But you drew me! Besides you’re an artist! I want to see!”

“I’m an artist?”

“S’what my textbook always said.” Bucky shrugs.

Steve shakes his head. “I’m not an artist.”

“Well, as long as you didn’t draw me with an extra head,” Bucky says, “or y’know make me really ugly.”

“I don’t think anyone could make you look ugly,” Steve says, and he sounds so earnest that Bucky’s unable to do anything but stare at him for a few seconds.

Bucky lets out a small laugh, completely thrown off his admittedly not very good game. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Steve says.

Bucky’s saved from embarrassing himself in response to Steve’s comment by a shout of:

“Steve!”

Sam Wilson lounged against the door, tapping his wrist impatiently. Steve sighs and stands up, unfolding his frame from the chair; Bucky resists the urge to whistle. Steve really is a specimen.

“I’ve got to go,” Steve says apologetically. He pulls a sketchbook out of his bag and folds his sketches inside them.

“You really not going to show me your sketches?” Bucky asks, because he doesn’t want Steve to walk away. “Do you know how cool it’d be to frame a naked picture of myself drawn by Steve Rogers?” Maybe Steve could sign the picture… with his number…

Steve laughs again, which makes Bucky smile. “I’m out of practice,” Steve says. “Going to need a few more of these sessions before I feel comfortable again.”

Bucky wonders if it’s too gauche to offer Steve a private session, perhaps after a nice dinner for two.

“Well, I’m going to be here next week,” Bucky says. Steve looks like Christmas has come early. “Perhaps I’ll see you then?”

“Yeah,” Steve says. “I’d like that a lot!”

“Steve!” Wilson groans from the door. “Nat and Clint are waiting on us! Nat’s found another sushi restaurant she wants you to try.”

Steve pulls a disgusted face. “Nothing is going to convince me that sushi is good. I’d rather 40s food than that.”

“Didn’t you all just boil everything?”

“Don’t mock boiled squirrel until you’ve tried it,” Steve says seriously.

Bucky wrinkles his nose and repeats slowly, “Boiled squirrel?”

“Yep.”

“That was an actual thing?”

“Yep.”

“And it was nice?”

Steve nods gravely, before laughing. “No, it was fucking awful, what’d you think? We ate it during the Depression!”

“Oh thank God,” Bucky mutters, terrified he’d been hitting on a man who’d seriously enjoyed eating boiled squirrel.

Steve laughs again, and then looks at the floor before glancing up at Bucky through his long lashes. “So, I’ll see you next week?”

“Yeah,” Bucky says, “next week, same time.”

“Awesome,” Steve says, giving Bucky one last smile as he walks past him and toward Wilson, who is staring at them both in amusement.

“Do you really talk about boiling food with all the men you try and pick up?” Bucky hears Wilson ask Steve as the two of them walk off, leaving Bucky standing there in a fuzzy pink robe trying to figure out how the fuck he’s supposed to convince Alex to hire him again.

* * *

Because there is clearly a force existing in the world that wants Bucky to get laid by a super soldier, Alex somehow signs him on as a model again. He wants to think it was his charming personality and dazzling smile that allowed this, but he actually reckons she was just desperate. That, or when he cornered her after the class he gave off such a frantic vibe she was terrified to say anything but yes.

Bucky’s spent the last week thinking of nothing but seeing Steve again. He’d spent even more time at the gym with Gabe, chatted Jim’s ear off at the shop, and had Darcy approve the outfit he wears to and from the studio — just in case.

He doesn’t hover outside the studio this time, but walks straight in before Alex has even introduced the class. Steve’s already sitting there, tapping away at his phone.

“Hey,” Bucky says.

Steve looks up and shoves the phone into his pocket, grinning at Bucky. “Hey yourself.”

“So, how was your sushi?”

Steve gags dramatically. “Still nasty. Nat’s a sadist I swear.” Bucky laughs, it’s strange to hear someone to refer to the Black Widow so casually. “They’re all still working on getting me up to speed with everything I’ve missed.”

“And sushi’s crucial?”

“Apparently.”

They smile at each other, and Bucky panics about what to say next when Steve asks: “Is that your robe or…?”

Bucky strikes a pose. “Nope, they have a selection for me to pick from, and I happen to think pink does the most for my complexion.”

Steve raises his eyebrows. “Don’t give me that judgy face,” Bucky says, “just because yours is probably red, white, and blue.”

“I don’t have one,” Steve says.

“Outrage,” Bucky says, “you need one.” He gasps, grinning so widely that Steve’s terrified. “No, what you need is a onesie! A great big American flag patterned onesie!”

“A onesie?” Steve echos.

“Yeah,” Bucky says, “I’ve got two, and one has bunny ears.”

Steve laughs and shakes his head. “Is this revenge for the boiled squirrel thing?”

“Nope,” Bucky says. He turns his head when Alex calls him over. “Google it, and buy yourself one. You’ll thank me!” he says, pointing at Steve as he traipses over to Alex to do his job, because he’s got to keep in her good books so she lets him come back if he needs to.

Bucky thinks he’ll deserve a sort of medal of valour if he’s able to get Captain America strolling around New York in a onesie. There’s definitely Avengers-themed onesies, and Bucky thinks it’s a travesty if they don’t all own the appropriate ones. Or perhaps it would be funnier if they wore the wrong ones.

The internet would probably break if Captain America and Iron Man walked down the street in each other’s onesies.

Bucky spends the rest of the session sending Steve flirtatious smiles and trying to figure out how to use his meagre influence to get Steve to buy a onesie.

As soon as Alex calls the session to a close, Bucky’s tugging on the robe and hurrying over to Steve.

He gives Steve a pleading look, and Steve rolls his eyes. There hadn’t been a stool for Bucky this week, so he’s been sprawled out on a pile of cushions feeling like a Roman emperor.

“They’re not very good,” Steve warns but pushes his chair back so Bucky can stand in front of his sketch pad and look.

Bucky’s retort dies on his lips at the sight of Steve’s sketches because they’re… they’re beautiful. Bucky can’t think of a better word for them. It’s not even Bucky being narcissistic, because he’s not a bad-looking guy, but Steve’s drawings… Steve’s drawings have given him a grace Bucky could never match in real life.

His limbs are long, and Steve’s made him look languid, like a bored god. He’s reclining on the cushions not like he’s stiff and bored, but like he’s waiting for those around him to worship him.

There’s one close-up of his face, and Bucky’s staring off to the side, eyes hooded and lips curled into a smile — one of the one’s he’d been teasing Steve with all morning.

“Sorry,” Steve says.

Bucky stares at him as if he’s a classified moron and slowly asks, “For what?”

Steve gestures at the drawings, his cheeks pink. There’s something endearing about the blush contrasting with the leather jacket that’s sinfully tight across his shoulders.

“Steve,” Bucky says, “they’re brilliant.”

Steve bites his lip before asking, “Really?”

“Really,” Bucky says, fingers reaching out to brush the shading of Steve’s sketches and the erotic way he’d formed Bucky’s shadow. Bucky would do anything to have Steve actually draw him erotically, though he’s not sure he’d survive having Steve’s pure attention on him. The amount he gets in the class when surrounded by other people makes him feel like every nerve in his body is alight, and he reckons he’d burn up under the weight of Steve’s full attention.

He craves it anyway.

“They’re…” Bucky searches for the words but comes up short, his art knowledge letting him down. “Come for lunch with me?”

Bucky cringes because that was not at all what he had meant to stay but he can’t stop looking at the intimacy with which Steve drew his naked form.

“Only if you want—” he starts, at the exact same time Steve says, “I’d love to!”

They pause and stare at each other before laughing awkwardly. Bucky drags a hand through his hair before regretting it because he spent ages perfecting it this morning. Darcy calls it his aesthetic sex hair, and Bucky’s happy to own that.

“So, lunch?” Steve prompts. Bucky’s thrilled Steve seems just as keen as he is for this. It makes him feel like less of a loser.

“Lunch,” Bucky echoes. “You not got a chaperone again this week?”

“You mean Sam?” Steve asks, shaking his head and laughing. “Nah, I told him not to bother.”

“Because you’re a big enough boy to walk home by yourself, or because you were expecting a better option?”

“Both,” Steve says, “also don’t let Sam here you calling yourself a better option.”

Bucky blanches at the fact he just insulted the Falcon, but Steve’s grinning so he thinks (hopes) he got away with it.

“So where do you want to go?” Steve asks, packing up his sketches. Bucky barely refrains from seriously asking if he can buy them off Steve, because he’s never cared much for art, but this is different.

“Sushi?” Bucky teases, laughing when Steve mock-glowers at him. “Nah, I know a brilliant burger joint if you’re interested?”

“I am always interested in red meat,” Steve says, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder. He’s wearing another ridiculous cap today, but he manages to make it look good.

“Was that line supposed to sound like an awful porno or?”

“Only if you keep your mind in the gutter.”

“Oh sorry, I forgot Captain ‘Holier Than Thou’ America doesn’t watch porn.”

“I was reading porn before you were alive,” Steve says, rolling his eyes. “Also don’t forget our meet-cute story involves me staring at your naked body for two hours.”

“Oh you’re already thinking about how we’re going to tell people we met?”

“Go get outta that fucking robe,” Steve says, hand resting on Bucky’s lower back as he gives him a small push towards the door. Bucky sighs dramatically, but he doesn’t protest. He’s starving, and his whole body’s singing from Steve’s touch.

“Is that another line? You’re way less innocent than the textbooks taught us.”

“God, what did they tell you?”

“There was definitely hints that you didn’t believe in sex before marriage,” Bucky says. Steve groans, fingers lingering on the small of Bucky’s back. “Which would make you a 99-year-old virgin.”

Steve laughs and lets go of Bucky. “I’m neither 99, nor a virgin.”

“That sounds like something a 99-year-old virgin would say.”

“Are you shaming my sexual history?”

“Only because I’m not in it,” Bucky says. Steve groans again and shoves Bucky toward the door.

“Go get changed,” Steve commands.

Bucky salutes, and walks off wiggling his ass and glancing over his shoulder and grinning at Steve as he goes. Steve shakes his head and turns around to finish packing up his kit. Bucky pauses and smiles to himself, because somehow he’s managed to snag himself a date with Captain America. Except, he also doesn’t care much about the whole Captain America thing, because Steve’s great. Steve’s funny and charming and better looking than any other mortal being, and yet for some reason he’s interested in Bucky.

Bucky must’ve done something pretty great in his past life to deserve this.

Steve’s chatting politely to Alex, who looks utterly charmed, when Bucky returns.

“You ready?” Bucky asks, leaning against the doorframe and trying not to preen too much as Steve checks him out.

“Yeah,” Steve says. He thanks Alex and shakes her hand, and she beams back at him. Bucky presumes it’s the Steve Rogers effect because Alex tends to look at Bucky like he’s killing her prematurely. Steve, however, has her wrapped around his pinky finger.

“So, where’re we going?” Steve asks, shoulder brushing Bucky’s as they walk along.

“Burger joint,” Bucky says, “called Annie’s. They literally have every burger under the sun.”

“Every burger?”

“Yeah,” Bucky says.

“So, squirrel?”

“Every burger that might actually taste nice and wouldn’t have been served in the Depression,” Bucky amends, bumping Steve with his shoulder. It’s a bit like bumping into a small mountain; Steve doesn’t even move. Bucky, however, ends up bouncing off.

Steve laughs. “Ice cream burger?”

“What part of ‘might actually taste nice’ didn’t you hear?”

“What happens if I think an ice cream burger would taste nice?”

“Then I’ll know your taste buds still haven’t been defrosted,” Bucky says.

“Or maybe you’re just not as cool as me.”

Bucky raises his eyebrows. “Was that an ice pun?” Steve winks in response. “People make you out to be way cooler than you actually are, you know.”

“Yeah, I get told that a lot,” Steve says. “You disappointed?”

“That Captain America’s actually a huge nerd?” Steve glares at him, and Bucky laughs. “Nope, I think it’s hilarious. Next time you want to defeat a bad guy just crack out your dad jokes and they’ll turn themselves over to make it stop.”

“I do not have dad jokes.”

“Granddad jokes?”

“I’m twenty-six!”

Bucky laughs, and he turns to Steve, who’s looking at him with a soft smile.

“What?” Bucky frowns.

Steve shakes his head and sticks his hands in his pockets. “Nothing.”

“Tell me!” Bucky says, poking Steve’s arm and appreciating the feeling of Steve’s muscles.

“It’s nothing!” Steve says, laughing as Bucky continues to poke him. “I just like that you’re not intimidated by me.”

“Whatcha mean?”

Steve shrugs. “You’re not afraid to give me shit.”

“Do people not normally give you shit then?”

“I mean, Sam, Nat, Tony, and Clint don’t stop,” Steve says, “but for the most part people are too busy trying to be respectful to talk to me like I’m a normal person.”

“I gave up on respectful when I realized you were going to be staring at my dick.”

Bucky actually gave up on respectful when he first wanked over Steve in his Captain America uniform, but that’s information he doesn’t need to share.

“I was not staring at your dick.”

“One, you were. And two, you know it’s pretty unfair that you’ve seen my dick, and I haven’t seen yours.”

Steve laughs. “I require dinner before I get my dick out.”

“I knew you were old fashioned.” Bucky sighs. Steve throws his head back and laughs, and Bucky tries not to smile too widely. He doesn’t even know if this counts as a date, and he doesn’t want to scare Steve off by being too intense too quickly. However, that doesn’t stop his stomach swooping when Steve smiles, slow and easy, and says:

“Guess I’ll just have to make it worth your wait.”

* * *

Bucky’s been able to think of little but Steve for the last three weeks. Lunch had ended up lasting two hours, and they’d barely stopped speaking for a second of it. Bucky had been highly amused to learn that Steve Rogers not only eats at the speed of light, but talks with his mouth full, and once lunch had finished they’d ended up walking around Brooklyn comparing childhood stories.

A lot of Steve’s stories included, “that was the place where I got beat up,” but Bucky loved every single one. There’s so few images of Steve when he was small that Bucky almost finds it hard to picture Steve as anything but a 6’1” beefcake, but Steve has a knack for telling stories, which more than makes up for the lack of historical record.

Bucky had given Steve his number and had only walked a hundred or so yards away when his phone had started ringing. He’d not even checked the screen before answering and hadn’t been able to stop grinning when he heard Steve’s deep voice coming through the speaker.

It had been something out of a romance film, and Bucky had loved every second of it.

They’d arranged another date, and then more dates after those, spending as much time together as they could. Bucky’s always hated dating in the past because he’s either too intense for people, or he finds them boring. Steve matches Bucky’s intensity hit for hit, and there’s nothing boring about him. Bucky laughs harder with Steve than he ever has before, but it’s more than just a compatible sense of humor. Steve’s interesting and clever, and Bucky would’ve been gone for him even without the whole Captain America thing.

Darcy’s been ribbing him for smiling like a walking romance novel every time he talks about Steve, but Bucky can’t help it. Even now, lying underneath a client’s car and covered in motor oil, thinking of Steve makes him smile.

“Barnes!”

Bucky groans at the sound of Jim’s voice and closes his eyes.

“Yeah?”

“Can you come here?”

“I’m under a car!”

There’s a pause before Jim calls back. “Okay, but someone’s here to see you.”

Bucky groans again, and slides out. He’s got grease on his face, and his overalls are disgusting. He rolls them down and ties them around his waist because at least the white top he’s wearing underneath is a bit cleaner.

“Bucky!” Jim yells, “Seriously man!”

“I’m coming!” Bucky grabs a cloth from the counter and starts cleaning the oil off of his hands as he walks out into the front of the shop, where he pulls up short because the most expensive car he’s ever seen is parked there. However, that’s not the weirdest part of the scene. In front of said car is Jim twisting a rag between his hand and Tony Stark tapping away at his phone.

“Hey,” Bucky says, for lack of anything better to say. “You called?”

“James!” Stark says, pocketing his phone and striding forward. Jim’s staring at Stark as if he’s an alien from another planet, and Bucky understands his friend’s confusion. There’s a difference between dating Captain America, and fucking Iron Man turning up at your place of work… at least in Bucky’s mind. “James Buchanan Barnes to be precise,” Stark continues, “goes by the childhood nickname of Bucky, which according to some is endearing, but I’ve got to ask what’s up with that?”

“Urm,” Bucky says eloquently. He’s looked up to Stark ever since he was a kid interested in engineering, but now Stark’s here in Jim’s workshop where Bucky works, and Bucky has no idea what he wants.

Stark blinks at him before continuing, “Anyway, you’re probably asking yourself why I’m here and I must admit that looking around I’m asking myself the same thing.” Bucky doesn’t have a chance to be offended, because Stark doesn’t stop speaking long enough for him to be. “But I’m here to talk to you about Steve, because Steve has no sense of self-preservation.”

“Do you think I’m a threat to him?”

Stark looks at him and laughs. Bucky’s unsure if he should be offended. “No, just want to make sure you’re not some creepy fanboy.”

Jim snickers, and Bucky glares at him. “I’m not a creepy fanboy.”

“I know,” Stark says, “I’ve done a background check on you. You’re an engineering major, which I approve of, but now you’re working as a mechanic.”

“Job market sucks.” Bucky shrugs. Jim flips him off from behind Stark, but Bucky knows it’s harmless. Jim’s always ragging on him for being over-educated for the job.

Stark laughs. “Suppose it does.” He pulls out his phone and types rapidly before pocketing it again. “Anyway, presuming you’re not going to do something dumb like try and kidnap Steve?”

“I don’t think I could kidnap Steve?”

“Passion makes people do crazy things,” Stark says. He squints at Bucky before smiling to himself. “Anyway, you don’t seem too crazy even if you do call yourself Bucky.”

“My mom started it,” Bucky mutters, feeling defensive even though he has this conversation with nearly everyone he meets. He greatly appreciates the fact Steve has never actually laughed at him for his name.

“Points for being a mama’s boy,” Stark says, pointing at him. “Steve loves that kind of thing.”

“Does Steve know you’re here?” Bucky asks.

Stark glances at his watch. “Yeah, he should have gotten my memo by now, which means it’s time for me to leave as otherwise I’m going to have America’s angriest pensioner to deal with.” He gives Bucky a considering look and says, “But then again, one look at you and he might get distracted.”

“What?”

“You look like a walking mechanic porno,” Stark says. Nothing in the world could have prepared Bucky for his long-term idol saying those words to him. “Even Steve’s righteous anger isn’t great enough to overcome that image.”

“Thanks?” Bucky says. Jim looks like today has been his birthday and Christmas rolled into one. Bucky feels like he’s suffering whiplash.

“You’re welcome.” Stark beams at him, and turns to Jim, leaving Bucky dismissed. “Send me an invoice for your wasted time.”

“Oh, you don’t have to…” Jim says, trailing off when Stark waves his hand to silence him.

“No, I insist. You’re running a business after all,” Stark says. He turns back to Bucky and shoots him a look Bucky can’t decipher. “Keep your phone on. I’ll see if I can unstick the job market for you.”

Bucky opens his mouth to protest, because he doesn’t want Stark’s handouts, but before he can Stark’s slid into his car and shut the door.

The engine roars as it starts, and when Stark rolls down the window he has to shout to be heard. “One more question, Bucko.” Bucky pulls a face at the nickname. “You and Cap said the b word yet?”

“B word?” Bucky can only echo Stark in shock.

“Yeah,” Stark says, “I’ve seen your dating history. I know you know what a boyfriend is.”

Jim laughs. Bucky doesn’t even want to ask how Stark tracked his dating history. “No…” he admits. Bucky would like more than anything to claim that Steve’s his boyfriend, but he doesn’t want to be presumptuous, and Steve’s so recently back in society that Bucky doesn’t want to rush him. He presumes Steve would’ve said something if he fancied it.

Stark hums. “Interesting.” And with that, his car flies out of the shop, leaving Jim and Bucky standing there, mouths agape.

“What the fuck?” Jim whispers and Bucky can only nod in agreement.

They’re given less than a minute’s recovery time because before Bucky can wrap his head around the whole thing, a motorbike comes screeching to stop in front of them, giving Bucky a thousand years of wanking material because the sight of Steve on a motorbike is better than anything he could ever imagine.

“I am so sorry for anything Tony just said to you, and I promise none of it’s true.”

“Does that mean he won’t be paying me?” Jim asks. Steve shoots him a bemused stare, and Bucky glares at him. Jim holds up his hands and walks out of the front room muttering about how fucking a superhero is more trouble than it’s worth.

Bucky would possibly agree, but he’s just been blessed by the sight of Steve Rogers on a motorbike. That image was worth all the trouble Steve could ever throw at him.

“He said you think my name’s endearing,” Bucky says, offering Steve a shit-eating smile. It’s not exactly what Tony had said, but Bucky’s hoping Steve is, in fact, the one who found his name not completely ridiculous. Steve’s blush confirms that Bucky was right.

Steve groans. “Did he say anything else?”

“Nah,” Bucky says, “he just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to kidnap you.”

“Were you planning on kidnapping me?”

“I wasn’t,” Bucky says, “but now I’ve seen you riding that bike.”

Steve laughs. “You’re one to talk.”

“Mechanic porno?” Steve frowns. “Stark said I looked like a mechanic porno.”

“Jeez,” Steve sighs, shaking his head. “I mean, it’s true, but he shouldn’t say it.”

Bucky laughs, and Steve kisses him quiet.

“You sure he didn’t say anything else?” Steve asks.

Bucky thinks about the boyfriend thing, but can’t bring himself to say it. He doesn’t want to pressure Steve into that conversation. He shakes his head, and Steve kisses him again with his hands resting on Bucky’s hips. Steve’s kisses always start slow before they begin to build up, becoming more heated until Bucky’s a mess in Steve’s hands. Steve kisses like he lives: it’s burning and all-consuming. Bucky wouldn’t expect anything less. He wouldn’t want anything less.

Steve pulls back, and Bucky chases his lips. Steve lets the kiss continue for a moment, fingers pressing into Bucky’s sides. “Let me make it up to you,” Steve mumbles against Bucky’s lips when Bucky refuses to end the kiss.

“Make what up?” Bucky asks.

Steve moves his lips to Bucky’s jaw and mouths along it. “Tony,” he explains, “I know he’s looking out for me, but he’s an idiot. So, let me make it up to you.”

“You don’t need too…” Bucky starts, trailing off as Steve’s teeth scrape his neck making him moan. Steve’s touch is electric, and Bucky is more than willing to let Steve take him here and now over his motorbike.

“Want to,” Steve says. “Come over to my place. I’ll cook.”

“Okay,” Bucky says, letting Steve kiss him again. “As long as you don’t serve me squirrel.” Bucky can feel Steve’s smile as he kisses him.

“No promises.”

Bucky runs his fingers through the ends of Steve’s hair, and slips his tongue into Steve’s mouth. He’s only human after all, and he can’t say the thought of Steve on that motorbike hasn’t affected him greatly.

Steve takes the hint, the tips of his fingers curling in Bucky’s shirt as he deepens the kiss. Bucky is more than ready to have dirty motorshop sex with Steve when he hears:

“Barnes!”

Bucky buries his head in the crook of Steve’s neck at the sound of Jim’s voice.

“Just a reminder that I don’t pay you to have sex.”

Bucky laughs, and presses a kiss to Steve’s neck before stepping back. “I should probably get back to work.”

“Okay, but come round later?”

Bucky nods, as he starts to do his overalls back up. He can feel Steve’s eyes watching him hungrily, so Bucky makes a bit of a show of it. He’s never found someone be so turned on watching him get dressed before. Perhaps Steve’s been thinking about as many dirty mechanic role play situations as Bucky has.

Bucky wonders if he ought to take it slower with Steve. He disregards that thought instantly.

“I leave here at six, then I’ll wash up and head over.”

“Don’t feel like you have to wash up,” Steve leers, and Bucky laughs because Steve’s just as dirty-minded as he is, and Bucky couldn’t be more into him.

* * *

Bucky knows what Steve does for a living. He’s not an idiot, and he knows that sooner or later he’s going to end up interacting with some of the crazy shit Steve’s wrapped up in. However, that doesn’t mean he’s prepared for it when it happens.

When robots attack New York, Bucky’s just left Lower Manhattan where he’d met Darcy for lunch.

He watches a robot knock a man out with a single blow and does what any sane person in his situation would do: he takes off running in the other direction.

Chaos explodes around him, people frantically running,  screaming and shouting as the waves of robots descend on the streets. Bucky doesn’t know what to think or do. His engineering degree offers little protection against killer robots. After all, he can’t very well ask them to stop while he picks apart their wires and figures out how to flip their off switch.

So Bucky keeps running. He’s torn between cursing the fact that all this ridiculous stuff like killer robots fucking exists, and accepting that without this level of science he probably wouldn’t have a not-quite-boyfriend-thing. However, even Steve’s dick (and charming inability to tell Bucky their relationship status) isn’t good enough to make killer robots seem worthwhile right now.

There’s a scream — young and painful and broken — and he whips around; there’s a young girl cowering on the side of the street, clutching a doll to her chest.

Bucky’s not Steve. He’s not his dad either. His dad had joined the military at eighteen and urged Bucky to do the same, but instead Bucky had decided to pay an exorbitant amount for a college degree. Bucky’s no hero, but he knows he can’t leave that kid there. She screams again, and she’s going to start attracting the attention of someone with worse intentions than Bucky.

He runs over before he decides that yes, he’s going to look after this kid until this shitstorm blows over. Bucky had been looking for shelter anyway; now he’s even more desperate.

She stares at Bucky, visibly shaken as he rushes over to her and asks, “Hey, can you tell me where your parents are?” She shakes her head, bottom lip trembling. “That’s okay,” Bucky says quickly. “I’ll look after you.”

“My mommy says not to go with strangers,” she says.

Bucky forces a weak smile. “Smart lady, your mom.” The girl nods. “However, I can’t leave you here alone, so how about we get to know each other?” She nods again. “My name’s Bucky, what’s yours?”

She sucks on her bottom lip before softly saying, “I’m Alice.”

“I’ve a sister called Alice,” Bucky says. “It’s a pretty name.”

“Thank you,” Alice says. Bucky checks over his shoulder. He can’t see any robots currently, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be back soon.

“Right, Alice,” he says, “how’d you like to play a game?” She doesn’t say anything. “You know hide and seek?” She nods. “Yeah, I used to play it with my sister all the time.”

“I play it with my brother,” Alice says. “I’m really good.”

Bucky wants to cry with relief at her longer answer. She trusts him enough to speak. He doesn’t know what he’d have done if she’d rejected his help. He can’t leave her here, after all.

“That’s good,” Bucky says. “We’re going to play it now. We’re going to hide from the robots, you good with that?”

She nods, and Bucky bends down to pick her up. She goes willingly, wrapping her arms and legs around his body.

Bucky Barnes, civilian hero, Bucky thinks wryly. It must be a side effect of dating Captain America.

They run until Bucky spots a back alley with a car in it. The car’s at an angle across the road, either broken down or abandoned, and behind it is nothing but brick wall. It’s a risk, but Bucky can’t think why a robot would stroll down this alley for no reason, and the car will hide them nicely.

It’s not perfect, but it's the best he can do.

Bucky’s phone has been vibrating manically in his pocket, but it’s not until they’re hidden behind the car that he finally dares to take it out and check it. There’s messages from his family begging him to confirm he’s alive. He does so but doesn’t offer any false platitudes. His group chat The Howling Commandos is flashing desperately as well, as everyone checks in with each other.

Then there’s just one message from Steve, a plea for Bucky to be safe. Bucky replies, telling Steve to do the same, and then begins the agonizing wait. His phone keeps him updated on the news and how the Avengers are fighting this latest threat to the city.

Bucky wonders if the Avengers would consider moving to Texas so the weird shit can happen there instead. However, he’d miss Steve, he supposes.

They sit there for hours, Alice curled against his chest, too numb to cry. Bucky’s thankful; he doesn’t know what he’d do if she started crying. He’s never had much practice with little kids, and earlier he’d seriously been considering knocking her out if she fought him too much.

Eventually the yelling seems to stop, but Bucky still doesn’t dare to move. He’s not coming out until he’s sure Alice is safe, so he’s waiting for a news announcement on his phone. However, in the end something else tells him the battle’s over.

“Bucky!”

Bucky freezes, arms tightening around Alice because that sounds like…

“Bucky!”

Bucky’s up, Alice still in his arms, running out of the alley toward Steve’s voice.

“Tony, where the fuck is he?”

“His tracker says he’s here!”

“It’s so weird that you put a tracker in Steve’s boyfriend’s phone.”

Bucky stumbles at the sound of the smooth female voice, because Stark put a what in his phone? However, Bucky can’t care too much right now because when he emerges from the alley there’s Steve in his dark blue Captain America suit, face grim and dirty. He’d clearly lost his helmet at some point.

Bucky nearly sobs with relief as he says, “Steve?”

“Bucky,” Steve repeats as if his name is a prayer, and then he’s running over to Bucky and pulling him in for a hug, crushing both Alice and Bucky against his broad chest. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Language,” Stark snickers.

Bucky glances up from where he’s compressed against Steve and Stark, who is decked out in his full Iron Man suit, waves at him. Bucky’s got to admit that’s even cooler in person. Wilson and Black Widow are there as well, and Wilson smiles at Bucky despite his obvious exhaustion.

“Hey,” Bucky says eventually, “oxygen please.” He doesn’t want to ever come out of Steve’s embrace, but he’s got Alice in his arms. He lowers her to the ground, and she steps away from him, legs wobbly. She stares up at Steve like he’s some sort of god, which Bucky supposes to her he must be.

“Heya, kiddo,” Steve says, crouching down to meet her. “You’re safe now.”

“I know,” Alice says, “Bucky saved me.”

“Awww,” Stark says, “robot fighting boyfriend duo!”

Steve glances up at Bucky and beams. “Has a nice ring to it.”

“Yeah,” Bucky says. He smiles at Steve before freezing because — “Wait, am I your boyfriend?”

“Urm…” Steve says dumbly.

“Oh God,” Stark says.

“Men,” Widow sighs.

“What?” Bucky says. “He never asked.”

“Rogers,” Wilson groans.

Steve stands up slowly, frowning. “Do you not want to be my boyfriend? ‘Cause this is pretty shitty timing if you’re trying to end things.”

“When did it start?” Bucky demands, near hysterical after the day’s events and then finding out he’s spent the last two weeks worrying for nothing, because apparently Steve already considered himself his boyfriend!

“Clint told me no one did the whole speech anymore!” Steve says. “So I just presumed we were boyfriends!”

“Don’t drop me in it, man!”

Bucky doesn’t know when Hawkeye got there, or why he’s apparently hashing out his relationship drama in front of the whole Avengers squad after nearly being killed by murderous robots, but he and Steve’s relationship has never been conventional. Within thirty seconds of meeting, Steve had spent two hours staring at Bucky’s naked body, so they’ve always loved to shake things up, it seems.

“Oh,” Bucky says, smiling. “I would like to be your boyfriend, just so you know.”

“Well, thank fuck for that,” Steve says, stepping forward and pulling Bucky in for a bruising kiss. Bucky laughs, because he thinks he may be hysterical, but he’s soon kissing Steve back just as deeply.

“Suppose this is Steve’s official coming out announcement,” someone — Bucky thinks it may be Wilson — says.

Bucky doesn’t really care who’s speaking or watching or what they’ll think of Captain America kissing some guy in the middle of the streets just after a battle. Bucky’s not just some guy, he’s Steve’s boyfriend, and if people don’t like what they see — tough.

 

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first Stucky fic and I'm absolutely head over heels for this pairing so i hope to be writing more fics soon!!
> 
> Kudos and Comments are the best thing since sliced bread
> 
> I'm on tumblr [@gracie137blogs](http://gracie137blogs.tumblr.com)


End file.
